Years of research have detailed beneficial
activities of the hormone, vitamin D, on the skeleton, metabolic issues, cancer, inflammation,
auto-immunity, endocrinopathies, and now adrenal diseases, diabetes,
thyroiditis, and more. (1) Vitamin D’s reputation keeps
getting better! Researchers today are evaluating
vitamin D’s effects on biomarkers like CRP, NPY, TNF-alpha, etc.,
after spinal manipulation and medical care. (2) In older adults who don’t always take the recommended amount of vitamin D, researchers described
that even a marginally increased intake of
vitamin D was associated with a lesser incidence of
pain over 5 years in addition to frequency of pain, severity, and
number of pain locations. (3) What about vitamin D and Oxford back pain, a familiar
problem that affects millions of people around the
world? Lately, research has revealed
that there may be a connection between small levels of
vitamin D and back pain. While the evidence is still early,
it is vital for our Oxford chiropractic
patients and Satterwhite Chiropractic to grasp what this possible
connection could mean in managing chronic back pain.
WHAT IS VITAMIN D?
Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient that assists
your body absorb calcium from the food you eat. It also helps keep bones healthy
and strong by preventing them
from getting brittle or weak. Vitamin D can be found
in foods such as dairy products, fish, eggs, mushrooms, and some
vegetables. Sunlight also provides natural sources of vitamin D—the
ultraviolet rays convert cholesterol in the skin into vitamin
D3 which is then absorbed into the bloodstream and stored
in fat tissues. Even in winter in Oxford, sunlight helps!
HOW CAN VITAMIN D HELP WITH BACK PAIN?
Research suggests that those with lower
levels of vitamin D may be more prone to have
chronic back pain than those with better levels of vitamin D. One
study linked biomarkers
(such as vitamin D) and pain in acute and subacute low back pain patients over
time via comparison of biomarkers at baseline to changes
in patient-reported outcomes at three months.
The results showed that those who had decreased
levels of vitamin D were more likely to experience higher levels of
disability related to their low back pain at follow-up
than those who had higher levels of vitamin D at the start.
(2) Do you know your Oxford vitamin D level?
CHECK YOUR VITAMIN D LEVEL
Researchers have found that those with lower levels of
Vitamin D tend to report more frequent episodes of back pain than their
counterparts with adequate levels of the nutrient. This
could suggest a relationship between low vitamin D
level and heightened odds for chronic or recurrent episodes
of back pain. (2) Satterwhite Chiropractic suggests you listen to this podcast with Dr.
James Cox on The Back
Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he reviews the
benefit of proper nutrition in managing
a patient with 3 disc herniations via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain
Management.
CONTACT Satterwhite Chiropractic
Overall, there is evidence pointing to a
link between a low Vitamin D level and an increased risk for
chronic or recurrent episodes of back pain. Let’s talk
about your vitamin D level. Schedule your Oxford
chiropractic appointment with Satterwhite Chiropractic, your partner
in spinal health.